What do purple mustaches, pumpkin pinatas, and fighting cancer have in common? A lot more than you may realize.
On Tuesday, October 27, purple mustaches and pumpkin pinatas came together to help in the fight against cancer at Relay For Life’s Fall Kickoff at Saint Joseph’s University. SJU’s annual Fall Kickoff is the first Relay event of the year that informs students about Relay and gets people pumped up for the upcoming spring.

With Relay 2016 only six months away, Kickoff stirred up excitement throughout campus. The yearly festivities inspire individuals and student organizations alike to get moving and start their team-building and fundraising efforts.

Fall Kickoff featured yummy baked goods, music, and pumpkin pinatas. These pinatas were made of hollowed out pumpkins and stuffed with candy and treats! The pumpkins were hung from a nearby tree and students could take turns breaking them open with a baseball bat. Some people smashed the pumpkins in one swing; others needed to take a few whacks before the pumpkin finally cracked.

In addition to cracking the festive pumpkin pinatas, new and returning Relay participants were able to register for the 2016 event on-site. With these and previous signups, there are currently 14 teams made of 29 participants that have raised $1,240 thus far -- not too shabby with 177 more days to go! With a little help from their friends, students who have never attended Relay before were guided through the signup process. If there’s one thing Relayers know about, it’s the power of teamwork.

In the midst of Fall Kickoff, participants were also able to show their support for family members and friends who have been affected by cancer by writing down and displaying reasons why they Relay.

We know that almost everyone has a connection to someone who has had cancer. Seeing so many people write out their reasons for Relaying, though, puts into perspective just how many lives have been touched by this illness.

Relayers shared some laughs while posing for photos with purple mustaches. What does Relay For Life have to do with purple mustaches, you ask? This year, one of SJU’s Relay fundraisers is Movember, where guys will be growing out their mustaches to raise awareness of and money for our upcoming Relay For Life.

Everyone left the event with delicious treats, invigorated energy, and a renewed sense of hope for the future of the fight against cancer.

Whether you’re a freshman or a senior, whether it’s your first Relay event at SJU or your last, we hope you’re just as thrilled about 2016’s Relay For Life as we are!

-- #TeamAmericanCancerSociety

Keep up-to-date with all of the Relay-related events this season by liking our page on Facebook, following us on Twitter, and checking out our Instagram.